Treatment of fibrous materials

Abstract

The specification describes and claims a method of treating fibrous material which comprises applying to the fibrous material a composition comprising an organosilicon compound having a group ═NCO(CH) n OH connected with a silicon atom of the organosilicon compound. The organosilicon compound consists of or comprises (A) a silane according to the genral formula R 1 a A b Si(R"NXR') c or (B) a polysiloxane comprising one or more siloxane units according to the general formula (i) ##EQU1## any remaining units of the polysiloxane being at least predominantly according to the general formula (ii) ##EQU2## A represents a hydroxyl or a hydrolysable group, R 1 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having up to 8 carbon atoms, R 2 represents a hydroxyl group, a group R 1 , a group OR 1 or a group COR 1 , R 4 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group or an aryl group, R 1 represents a group R 4 or a group X, R" represents a divalent hydrocarbon group which may have nitrogen, oxygen or sulphur present in the carbon chain, X represents a group CO(CHR) n OH in which R represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a hydrocarbon group or a hydroxyl substituted hydrocarbon group a has the value 0, 1 or 2, b has the value 1, 2 or 3, c has the value 1 or 2, the sum of a+b+c=4, m has the value 0, 1 or 2, p has the value 1 or 2, q has the value 0, 1, 2 or 3, r has the vale 0, 1 or 2 and n has a value in the range 2 to 7. Fabrics treated according to the method have a satisfactory handle and improved non-yellowing properties.

That which is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of treating fibrous material which comprises applying to the fibrous material a composition comprising a polydiorganosiloxane having a group ═NCO(CHR) n  OH connected with a silicon atom of a siloxane unit of the polydiorganosiloxane wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, or a hydrocarbon group or a hydroxyl substituted hydrocarbon group and n has a value in the range 2 to 7.   
     
     
       2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the group ═NCO(CHR) n  OH is part of a substituent --R"NXR' linked to the silicon atom wherein R" represents a divalent hydrocarbon group which may have a nitrogen, oxygen or sulphur atom present in the carbon chain, R' represents a hydrogen atom, a group X, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group or an aryl group, and X represents a group --CO(CHR) n  OH wherein n has a value in the range 2 to 7. 
     
     
       3. A method according to claim 1 wherein n has the value 3, 4, 5 or 6. 
     
     
       4. A method according to claim 1 wherein each R represents a hydrogen atom. 
     
     
       5. A method according to claim 2 wherein the group R"NXR' is according to the formula R"NR'R'"NXR' wherein each R' is a hydrogen atom, each R" is a group --(CH 2 ) 3  --, --(CH 2 ) 4  --, or --CH 2  CH(CH 3 )CH 2  -- and each R'"is a group --(CH 2 ) 2  --. 
     
     
       6. A method according to claim 2 wherein the polydiorganosiloxane comprises at least one unit according to the general formula ##EQU13## wherein R 2  represents a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group having up to 8 carbon atoms, m has the value 0, 1 or 2 and p has the value 1 or 2, any remaining units being according to the general formula ##EQU14## wherein R 1  represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having up to 8 carbon atoms, and p has the value 0, 1, 2 or 3. 
     
     
       7. A method according to claim 6 wherein at least 80% of the groups R 2  and R 1  are methyl groups. 
     
     
       8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the polydiorganosiloxane has the general formula   (CH.sub.3).sub.3 SiO((CH.sub.3).sub.2 SiO).sub.x (CH.sub.3 Q'SiO).sub.z Si(CH.sub.3).sub.3     wherein the proportion of z to x is less than 0.5 to 1, and Q' represents CH 2  CH(CH 3 )CH 2  NHCH 2  CH 2  NHCO(CHR) n  OH.   
     
     
       9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the composition is applied to the fibrous material in the form of an aqueous emulsion. 
     
     
       10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the fibrous material is a cotton fabric. 
     
     
       11. A fibrous material when treated by a method according to claim 1. 
     
     
       12. A method of treating fibrous material which comprises applying to the fibrous material a composition comprising a polysiloxane having one or more siloxane units according to the general formula (i) ##EQU15## any remaining units of the polysiloxane being at least predominantly according to the general formula (ii) ##EQU16## wherein R 2  represents a hydroxyl group, a group R 1 , a group OR 1  or a group COR 1 , R 1  represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having up to 8 carbon atoms, R 4  represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group or an aryl group, R' represents a group R 4  or a group X, R" represents a divalent hydrocarbon group which may have a nitrogen, oxygen or sulphur atom present in the carbon chain, X represents a group CO(CHR) n  OH in which R represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a hydrocarbon group or a hydroxyl substituted hydrocarbon group, m has the value 0, 1 or 2, p has the value 1 or 2, q has the value 0, 1, 2 or 3, r has the value 0, 1 or 2 and n has a value in the range 2 to 7. 
     
     
       13. A method according to claim 12 wherein 95% or more of the siloxane units of the polysiloxane are according to the formula ##EQU17## 
     
     
       14. A method according to claim 12 wherein the polysiloxane is of the average general formula ##STR8## wherein not less than 80% of the groups R 2  are methyl groups, x has an average value from 20 to 1500, y has an average value from 0 to 50 and z has an average value from 0.5 to 50. 
     
     
       15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the ratio of y:z lies in the range 1:4 to 4:1. 
     
     
       16. A method according to claim 14 wherein the ratio x is less than 5:100. 
     
     
       17. A method according to claim 12 wherein the fibrous material is a cotton fabric and the composition is applied thereto in the form of an aqueous emulsion. 
     
     
       18. A method of treating fibrous material which comprises applying to the fibrous material a composition comprising a silane or a polysiloxane formed by hydrolysis or condensation of a silane, the silane being according to the general formula R 1  .sbsb.z A b  Si(R"NXR') c  wherein A represents a hydroxyl or a hydrolysable group, R 1  represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having up to 8 carbon atoms, R' represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group, an aryl group or a group X, R" represents a divalent hydrocarbon group which may have a nitrogen, oxygen or sulphur atom present in the carbon chain, X represents a group CO(CHR) n  OH in which R represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a hydrocarbon group or a hydroxyl substituted hydrocarbon group a has the value 0, 1 or 2, b has the value 1, 2 or 3, c has the value 1 or 2, the sum of a+b+c=4 and n has a value in the range 2 to 7. 
     
     
       19. A method according to claim 18 wherein the hydrolysable group A is a methoxy group and b has the value 2 or 3. 
     
     
       20. A method according to claim 18 wherein each R represents a hydrogen atom. 
     
     
       21. A method according to claim 18 wherein the group R"NXR' is according to the formula R"NR'R'"NXR' wherein each R' is a hydrogen atom, each R" is a group --(CH 2 ) 3  --, --(CH 2 ) 4  -- or --CH 2  CH(CH 3 )CH 2  and each R'" is a group --(CH 2 ) 2  --. 
     
     
       22. A method according to claim 18 wherein the group R 1  is methyl. 
     
     
       23. A method according to claim 18 wherein the fibrous material is a woven cotton fabric and the composition is applied thereto in the form of an aqueous emulsion.